23/10/2017
The 6th term of the Mercator-IPC Research Program, an initiative of the Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center and Stiftung Mercator, commenced with an event attended by fellows and invitees of Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center and Stiftung Mercator. The Welcome event gave more information about new fellows and their research subjects.
The 6th term of the Mercator-IPC Research Program, an initiative of the Sabancı University Istanbul Policy Center and Stiftung Mercator, commenced with an event to introduce new fellows. The event was held in the historical Istanbul Naval Museum, and introductory remarks were made by Sabancı University faculty member and IPC Director Fuat Keyman and Stiftung Mercator Board of Overseers Chair Rüdiger Frohn.
Fuat Keyman: “Interaction improves productivity and the impact of our policies”
Discussing the past and present of the commercial, social and cultural ties between Turkey and Germany, Sabancı University Faculty Member and IPC Director Fuat Keyman said that the 6th term of the IPC Fellowship Program would focus on relations between EU, Turkey and Germany, and climate change. Emphasizing the importance of collaboration in research, Keyman said, "Interaction will improve productivity. The more interacting we are, the more influential policies we will develop. Introversion will only lead us to cultural, social and political poverty."
Rüdiger Frohn: “Making policies is more difficult, but more important as well"
Stiftung Mercator Board of Overseers Chair Rüdiger Frohn suggested that much had changed since the IPC – Sabancı University – Stiftung Mercator Initiative was founded. Saying that making policies had become more difficult over time, Frohn continued, "But this made our job, which is policymaking, even more important."
Following introductory remarks, short videos were shown where 2017 – 2018 Senior Fellow Atila Eralp and Fellows Gabriele Cloeters, Banu Karaca, Souad Osseiran, Simon Waldman, Pınar Ertör - Akyazı and Barış Karapınar summarized their research topics.
A wide range from climate change to gender
The research topics of this year's fellows cover a wide spectrum from climate change to integration of refugees, culture policies, and gender. The Mercator – IPC Fellowship Program is the most important element in the Istanbul Policy Center - Sabancı University and Stiftung Mercator Initiative to improve the academic, political and social ties between Turkey and Germany.
